Sink, Jolly spar in Florida debate

Florida special-election rivals David Jolly and Alex Sink traded blows in a Monday evening debate, with Jolly casting Sink as a carpetbagging-Obama ally and Sink painting Jolly as a lobbyist and political insider.

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The one-hour debate — held at St. Petersburg College — came ahead of the closely watched March 11 contest to replace the late GOP Rep. Bill Young, who passed away in October after holding the 13th Congressional District seat for more than four decades. It was the first showdown between Jolly, a Republican and former lobbyist, and Sink, a Democrat and former state chief financial officer.

With polling in the swing district showing a tight race, neither candidate seemed to deliver a knockout punch or corner their opponent in a damaging “gotcha” moment that could be played and replayed in TV ads. They spent much of the evening clawing and scratching their way to a draw.

The most dramatic exchange of the evening came in response to a question on President Barack Obama’s proposal to raise the minimum wage. After Sink challenged Jolly on his assertion that the private marketplace should determine wages, Jolly shot back: “It’s not a novel concept, Alex.”

To which Sink responded: “I don’t think I need to be lectured by David Jolly on this issue.”

Jolly, a former Young aide, spent much of the debate casting Sink as a political opportunist who only recently moved to the Pinellas County-based district so she could run for the vacant seat. And he accused Sink of being a tool of Democratic groups in Washington who have filled her campaign bank account with donations.

“I’m not going to be the voice of special interests,” Jolly said. “I’m going to do your work.”

Sink, meanwhile, attacked Jolly about his career as a lobbyist. After leaving Young’s office, she said, Jolly “made a decision to go through the Washington revolving door” and join K Street.

Jolly repeatedly invoked Young, praising him as leader who delivered for his district. Jolly mostly ignored the third candidate on the stage, Libertarian Lucas Overby. Some Republican strategists have worried that Overby will siphon conservative votes away from Jolly, which could prove costly in a close race.

Washington-based political action committees have increased their involvement in the race in recent days, flooding the St. Petersburg airwaves with TV commercials. Both parties have much at stake in the contest. Democrats believe that winning would help reverse the narrative that the party is in for a tough 2014; Republicans believe that coming out on top would prove that the national environment is tilting in their favor.

The district is one of the most competitive in the country; Obama narrowly carried it in the last two presidential elections. Internal polling from both parties suggests that the race is close.

Several exchanges focused on Obama’s newly implemented health care law, which remains unpopular throughout much of the country. Jolly portrayed Sink as a steadfast supporter of Obamacare and challenged her to explain what she does not like about it.

Sink said she wanted to keep the law intact, saying that she had come across people who are thrilled with it. But she said she was unhappy with the law’s implementation and disagreed with several of its planks, including its tax on medical devices.

“I could go on and on with the things that need to be fixed,” she said.